Navigating Email Communication and Miscommunication in the Workplace
Learn how to best navigate how you can communicate effectively through email as well as how to avoid miscommunication in the workplace. It also gives examples of miscommunication so you can know what to be on the lookout for.
Society has constantly had to adapt the way that they communicate to fit the environment that they’re in from professional to informal settings. One of the ways that they’ve had to adapt is how much they rely on email. Over time, email has become the primary method of communication in the workplace. It’s used to keep track of important tasks, meetings, and issues that require immediate attention. Relying so heavily on email communication means that we must always pay attention to the things we’re saying in email and how we’re saying it because this form of communication can lead to miscommunication in the workplace. You should never become indifferent or lax in the way that you communicate to the point where you become careless. Professional communication must always remain an important focus of the workplace and those skills should always be maintained. Businesses and organizations require great communication skills in order to operate successfully.
"Hard At Work: 26/09/06" by kiwanja is licensed under CC BY 2.0.Miscommunication in the Workplace
There is no uniform way to communicate so how one person interprets something can be different than how someone else will interpret it. We are bound to experience communication problems in the workplace because it’s human nature. There will be times when mistakes happen that are a result of miscommunication. Miscommunication can be caused by mode of communication, a lack of clarity, poor listening skills, differing communication styles, and challenges when using technology among other obstacles. The intended message and its characteristics can become skewed when it reaches the receiver. One mode that miscommunications are bound to happen is with email. There could be a lack of clarity, different communication styles, and there’s a lack of non-verbal cues which is often used as a supplement in in-person exchanges. There is a type of ripple effect caused by miscommunication because it can affect productivity, and more time being spent trying to resolve issues caused by miscommunication rather than working can lead to a loss in revenue and profit.
The most common instances of miscommunication involving email include misunderstood tone, awkward or inappropriate attempts at humor and a lack of clarity. To avoid misunderstood tone in an email, you should make sure to always use clear language in your emails. You should also try to consider the tone you want to use along with the tone that you might be using, because like the saying goes, it’s not what you say but how you say it. To avoid awkward or inappropriate attempts at humor, you should always consider your audience and if your message leaves room for misinterpretation. To avoid messages that have a lack of clarity, make sure to be specific and clear when including all important information and to answer any unanswered questions.
"Hands Typing on Keyboard with Apple Mouse and Yellow Watch" by Image Catalog is marked with CC0 1.0.Is Email the Problem?
In a December 2023 Forbes article on workplace misunderstandings, Rachel Wells a Forbes.com contributor, talks about how the most common starting point of workplace misunderstandings and miscommunications is email. This information was based on a report from Preply, a foreign language learning platform, who conducted research by surveying 1,030 U.S. employees. In the report, they mention that approximately 90% of employees believe this to be the case. Even though there is miscommunication happening in emails, it was still the preferred mode of communication.
Where Do We Go from Here?
The workforce has to be able to communicate effectively especially through email since it’s an important part of the way offices communicate. Can we prevent the miscommunications? We have to look at what we can do to aid in this process to make it efficient. Are there alternatives that can aid in being an effective communicator in all channels and modes? Can we adopt any relevant and evergreen communication skills and strategies to aid in the communication process? Businesses and organizations should offer their workforce trainings on how to effectively communicate in all forms as well as other forms of professional development. The workplace had to adjust to changes in society before, so it’s important that they’re able to adjust to these necessary changes now.